Dean Ridings
By DEAN RIDINGS
CEO | America’s Newspapers
Strong communities don’t just happen. They depend on connection — residents knowing what’s happening, businesses reaching the customers who keep them going, and citizens having the facts to make informed decisions.
Local newspapers provide that connection in ways no other source can.
In today’s fractured media landscape, trust is the rarest commodity. Confidence in “the media” remains low.
Only 18% of Americans say they trust news on social platforms, and fewer than one in four trust cable networks. However, nearly two-thirds say they trust their local newspaper — more than twice the confidence they have in most other outlets.
In an era when anyone can post anything online, that clarity makes newspapers stand apart.
Newspapers deliver the facts that keep civic life going: city budgets, school board debates, and local elections that rarely make national headlines but are most important to daily life. They also shine a light on the stories that help a community feel connected: high school sports, neighborhood events, new restaurants, and profiles of people who make a difference.
Your local newspapers have adapted to meet readers where they are — on websites, mobile apps, and email newsletters. What remains unchanged are the standards. Accuracy, ethics, and accountability still direct the work. That combination of modern delivery and traditional integrity is why people keep turning to their local paper.
The same trust boosts the local economy. Research shows consumers respond more to newspaper ads than to ads on TV, radio, or digital platforms.
People view local business advertising as part of the same trustworthy package as the news.
For a small business competing with national chains and online platforms, no other channel offers the same impact. When residents trust the paper, they trust the businesses that support it.
The absence of a local paper leaves a gap. Voter turnout drops. Fewer residents go to public meetings. Government oversight weakens, and borrowing costs increase.
Small businesses lose their best way to connect with local customers. Without a trusted source to bring things together, misinformation and partisan spin spread faster, fueling confusion and division.
The opposite is true when newspapers are strong. Residents are better informed, more engaged, and more connected to each other. Businesses grow because they can reach customers in a trusted environment.
Communities share a common set of facts that helps debates happen on the issues — not on whether the information is real.
But this role relies on support.
Subscriptions, advertising, and community engagement enable newspapers to maintain the trust that communities count on.
A strong local newspaper may not solve every problem a town faces, but it helps civic life, local culture, and the economy run more smoothly.
Healthy communities are stronger when their local newspaper is strong. Supporting the newspaper is one of the most direct ways residents and businesses can invest in their own future.
America’s Newspapers is a national trade association representing nearly 1,700 members across the country. AN’s mission is to educate the public about the value of newspapers, protect the First Amendment, advocate for newspapers’ interests at the federal and state levels, and provide resources to help newspapers grow their audience and revenue. AN’s is committed to ensuring that newspapers continue to play a vital role in informing, connecting, and strengthening local communities.
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